I’d love to say that title means I’m sitting on a tropical beach, sipping a Pina Colada, but the truth is, I’m referring to another beach. As in: South Beach.
Yes, yes, once again, I’m tackling weight loss. The reason is because Bruce and I had to get new life insurance policies, as our 10 year term policies were expiring. They came out to do a physical, and not only was my cholesterol bad, and my triglycerides, but I weighed exactly one pound less than I did the day I gave birth to my youngest daughter! ARRGH!
So, major diet time. My oldest daughter’s wedding is in October, and I am determined to be a young-and-attractive mother-of-the-bride!
I’ve done all the big diets, but South Beach is the one my heart doctor recommended, and it’s a little easier for me to stick with than some of the others. I like the strict structure, I like having a big, huge, “NO!” list that I can avoid. The first two weeks are definitely the toughest, but Bruce (who is doing it with me) and I made it through just fine. I ended up losing 11 pounds and he lost 9. We didn’t exercise the way we need to, but that’s going to be a big part of phase 2, which is the long-term, steady-loss phase. I am aiming for 2 lbs a week, which is perfectly reasonable, and I KNOW I can do it!
The big problem I’m having with this diet isn’t the day to day, I am fine with that and have found a bunch of great recipes that I’ve loved experimenting with. The trouble comes on weekends during “social” events. For instance, my nephew’s birthday is this weekend and we’re going over to my sister’s house for a small party. There. Will. Be. Cake. (ACK!) Fortunately, she’s a doll and when we went over there for dinner last week, she made a nice roast dinner with a huge salad. We skipped the potatoes and had roast & salad and skipped the wine (that’s painful for me. :-)
I’d love to hear any tips from anybody who’s done this, or some other kind of “lifestyle change” diet. Because it’s not just about me bringing along a baggie of celery sticks…I’d like to know what I can do, long-term, to maintain this healthy lifestyle without completely giving up a social life.
Any tips??
Also: WE HAVE A WINNER from last week’s Ruthie Knox guest blog. The winner of a digital copy of RIDE WITH ME is ALINA D! Comment # 16. Alina, please drop me a line, author @ lesliekelly . com (no spaces) so I can get your info for Ruthie.
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
Blazing Midsummer Nights
Dirty Little Secrets
Karma
Through The Night
Subscribe to Posts 
Comment
Get out and walk for 15 minutes a couple of times a day…
Comment
Good luck. The two of you dieting together should help.
I started one in Nov. It lasted 6 days…..sigh.
Comment
I started Nutrisystem and lost 3 pounds the first week. I’ve only really found one or two meals I don’t love and have been able to stick to it so far. Hey, anything that allows me to have chocolate daily works for me.
I’m walking right now for exercise, but once I lose another 17 pounds, I’m going back to my jog/walk intervals. Right now my weight is too much on my joints when I run. Once I lose 20 pounds total, I’ll be back at the weight I was when I first started doing intervals. I know more exercise will help me drop the pounds, so I’m excited to get to it.
If y’all don’t have time to do 30 minutes all at once, break it up into 2 15-minute walks a day. As long as you are moving, you are doing something good.
Comment
You’re already a young-and-gorgeous mother of the bride.
Comment
I’m doing the 17 day diet right now; I’ve lost 13 pounds in 9 weeks. It’s slow going but I’m continuing; my goal is another 12 pounds.
Good luck!
Comment
I’m on the Dukan Plan. This is the one in the news because Kate Middleton when on it for her wedding. It’s low fat/carbs, lots of protein and very easy to adapt when eating out or going places. Exercise is a key element–walking briskly 30 minutes a day. There are three phases:
Attack – This is aggressive protein only for 3 to 7 days (depending on the amount of weight you want to lose and walk 20 minutes a day.
Cruise – You add veggies, salad, etc. to the protein, upping the walking time to 30 minutes.
Maintenance – Once you reach your target weight, you can go back to eating almost anything, but be aware of carbs and fat and once a week (the books suggests Thursday), you go back to protein only for the day.
You can eat as much as you want of the approved foods, and you can “snack” during the day if you get hungry. I’ve developed a taste for Greek yogurt and I’m NOT a yogurt fan. I also love the oat bran/egg white/Greek yogurt pancake I have for breakfast with my turkey bacon. I miss it when I’m away from home.
I’ve lost 30 pounds on it so far. I plateaued out over Christmas, planned to start back up for New Years, and then life pinned a “Kick Me” sign on my back when I wasn’t looking. I’m still sort of in maintenance mode without the exercise. As soon as the knees will let me, I’ll get back in the swing of things. I want to lose at least 20 more pounds by RWA. We’ll see how I do.
Comment
I cannot stick to a diet, it is just not me. If I want a burger, I am going get one. But I walk or run at least 3 times a week. And I don’t limit myself to 30 minutes, if I can go longer, I do. I watch the portions of what I eat. If we go to a restaurant and I want a steak, I order the smallest size or I cut it in half and do not eat the rest (lunch!!). This is my advice, watch how much you eat, not neccessarly what you eat. Think of the size of your plate, 1/2 should be for a veggies, 1/4 for protein, and 1/4 for carbs or starch. Small meals help too!
Comment
When we go out to eat my boyfriend and I either split an entree or we take half home.
Comment
I will have to check this out. My daughter’s wedding is in July and I have some weight to lose, 15-20 pounds. Between the diabetes & the high cholesterol with heart problems I don’t know which diet to exactly follow.
Comment
My advice would be find out what works for you. I think dieting is hard, mentally. It seems changing habits, learning about a healthy life style works best. That is my humble opinion. I’ve learned through doing that you must exercise along with changing the bad eating habits. Once you get the cholesterol down you can splurge from time to time. I was recently at the doctor where I was delighted to find out that overall I’m very healthy especially considering I am 71 years old!!
My bad cholesterol is a little high again but not as bad as last year. Lots of veggies, less fat, drink lots of water, no eating late in the evening. I usually have a snack around 8 then that is it!! Read labels when you are buying food, fresh food is best, no packaged foods or prepared as it really does make a difference. You will feel so much better once you have it all under control. Another suggestion would be to get a pedometer. I just had to buy a new one that tells me how long I walked. My old one did not have that just steps & how far. I almost needed a college degree to figure out the new one!!! I am happy to say that I walked 3.5 miles in less than an hour! Not to shabby!
I wish you & Bruce both good luck on the road to better health.
Sorry to be so long winded.
I’ll stop now. 
Comment
I just started WW again. Like you, I had a blood test done and even though nothing is BAD (They weren’t good, but nothing requiring a follow up), the numbers freaked me out. So, I am at it again. I walk regularly, yoga twice a week….so, the exercise thing is a habit, I just need to get the food thing under control.
You are pretty anyway, Leslie…
Comment
Hi Leslie. I just sent you an email with my info for Ride With Me. I can’t wait to read it. As far as dieting goes, I suck at it, lol! I have polycystic ovarian syndrome which makes weight loss really hard. I have cut back on the sweets and the soda which is hard for me. Some people drink coffee for the caffeine, I drink soda, so yeah it sucks. Aside from that we just got an eliptical and I am gonna use it till I fall, lol! I am determined to loose some weight. Good luck with your weight loss!
Comment
I’d to lose 15 pounds as of Saturday. Waiting myself a few minutes ago I weighed myself and now it’s down to 10 pounds.
In the morning I’m drinking my juice, taking my morning medications [and eating just enough to take them]
A large salad with a yogurt based dressing, I also had some meat [like a 1/4 lb slice - just one of a low-salt cold cut, and some diet ginger ale [I prefer Canada Dry] for lunch.
For dinner its a Lean Cuisine entre, some fruit, with some more diet Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Take my evening medications
I drink some diet iced tea if I get thristy.
When I take my final medication for the day, it’s some more of whatever I’ve been drinking during the course of the day.
Good Luck with your diet.
We can all do it…provided we put our minds to it.
And have a GREAT DAY.
Comment
Wow, sounds like misery (ahem, sorry, make that HAPPY-AND-HEALTHY-IN-TRAINING!) loves company. Lots of us dealing with this issue right now, huh? Thanks all for the tips and good luck to everyone else attempting this major effort to be healthier & more fit!